Zaino question...

[SwissGTI]

First of all I just wanted to say that this site is great. Iv'e been browsing Autopia off and on for about 4 years now and learned a lot. There is one question however that has always been on my mind. I've been using Zaino products since 2002 but never liked the Z7 car wash. The suds seems to disappear after just a few minutes and it feels like I am washing my car with plain water. I wanted to know if it affects the Zaino coats at all if I use another car soap?

[Mindflux]

Z7 is supposed to help keep the cross-link/bond of the Z2/Z5 intact, this along with Z6 in between coats of Z2/Z5 will help your sealant longevity.

I would imagine that if you used a relatively mild soap you wouldn't have problems as long as it doesn't have waxes or the like in it.

How are you liking your fast? I picked up an 08 (my 4th GTI) in December.

[wannafbody]

Sounds like you aren't mixing Z7 strong enough. I find Z7 to be very lubricious even in hard water. If you want something else I'd suggest Duragloss carwash.

[jswift2000]

Use 1-2 capfuls for a gallon of water. I pour a gallon or two of warm water in my bucket and then pour the soap in and mix it by hand. This creates plenty of lubrication for me.

Z7 is on the expensive side so I may try DG901 next... maybe

[pwaug]

I feel the same way regarding Z7 so tried DG901--much better, more suds, slicker. Since then I have also tried Optimum Car Wash (not ONR) and it seems to be much superior to both in lubricity and suds.

[Macruz19]

Originally Posted by SwissGTI

First of all I just wanted to say that this site is great. Iv'e been browsing Autopia off and on for about 4 years now and learned a lot. There is one question however that has always been on my mind. I've been using Zaino products since 2002 but never liked the Z7 car wash. The suds seems to disappear after just a few minutes and it feels like I am washing my car with plain water. I wanted to know if it affects the Zaino coats at all if I use another car soap?

Try a Lowes Grout Sponge! It will make Z-7 suds 3x better than a wash mitt.

I use 3 capfulls of Z-7 in a 2 gallon bucket water with grit guard.

[SuperBee364]

It's so interesting the way we can all have such varied experiences with products. I *love* Z7. I use it with a foam cannon, and it gives much better foam and lubrication than most other car soaps. And the fact that it's LSP safe regardless of how strong you mix it is great. When my car is really dirty, I use an ounce of CG's CW&G and two ounces of Z7, then fill up the rest of the quart bottle with water.

Just wish Z7 wasn't so expensive.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

It's so interesting the way we can all have such varied experiences with products. I *love* Z7. I use it with a foam cannon, and it gives much better foam and lubrication than most other car soaps. And the fact that it's LSP safe regardless of how strong you mix it is great. When my car is really dirty, I use an ounce of CG's CW&G and two ounces of Z7, then fill up the rest of the quart bottle with water.

Just wish Z7 wasn't so expensive.

It is amusing to see so many different experiences here.

I do like Z7 quite a bit, but I prefer Perls by quite a large margin. Z7 comes in (a distant) second place.

[66#1]

Z7 doesn't seem to suds as well as it used to IMO. It doesn't matter how concentrated you make it either.

It would've been poor washing technique,but I guarantee you could've washed the whole car with the first mitt-full of suds of Z7. It's not that way now,or so it seems to me.

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

It's so interesting the way we can all have such varied experiences with products. I *love* Z7. I use it with a foam cannon, and it gives much better foam and lubrication than most other car soaps. And the fact that it's LSP safe regardless of how strong you mix it is great. When my car is really dirty, I use an ounce of CG's CW&G and two ounces of Z7, then fill up the rest of the quart bottle with water.

Just wish Z7 wasn't so expensive.

Foaming and lubricity are highly dependent on your water source. If the O.P was hard water he's not going to get nearly the foaming action or lubricity for 2-3 caps per gallon like a member with softer water would.

It's not hard to see why people from all over the world have different experiences with every product.

[SwissGTI]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I think I will give Perls a try. I just hope using something else other then Z7 will not strip the many coats of Z2 and Z5.

[SuperBee364]

Originally Posted by 66#1

Z7 doesn't seem to suds as well as it used to IMO. It doesn't matter how concentrated you make it either.

It would've been poor washing technique,but I guarantee you could've washed the whole car with the first mitt-full of suds of Z7. It's not that way now,or so it seems to me.

Great. I hope they haven't changed the formula. I bought a bunch of it just over a year ago and I'm almost out.

Originally Posted by Rob Tomlin

It is amusing to see so many different experiences here.

I do like Z7 quite a bit, but I prefer Perls by quite a large margin. Z7 comes in (a distant) second place.

Rob's spending my money for me again... ah well, I gotta buy *something* when the Z7 runs out.

Originally Posted by Mindflux

Foaming and lubricity are highly dependent on your water source. If the O.P was hard water he's not going to get nearly the foaming action or lubricity for 2-3 caps per gallon like a member with softer water would.

It's not hard to see why people from all over the world have different experiences with every product.

Fluxy, you're not gonna believe this, but I agree 100% with ya. My water is so hard I have to use at least double the amount of pretty much any cleaner, for any purpose. Dish washer, clothes washer, everything. Last summer, I filled my five gallon bucket with water out of my water softener filters. Put in my normal double dose of Z7, and couldn't get more than about a gallon of water in the bucket because of all the foam.